Pointing devices, such as laser pointers, are transmitters that produce an energy beam in the visible wavelengths. Other pointing devices can use infrared (IR) wavelengths. These pointing devices create an energy beam, and are typically produced as a pulse. The energy beam is produced over a particular two- or three-dimensional angle that creates an illumination field over a certain region. The illumination field generally has constant illumination intensity in the region. Laser pointers tend to produce very narrow (e.g., over small angles), relatively high energy beams with longer pulses, while other pointing devices such as IR pointing devices produce wider (e.g., over larger angles), relatively low power energy beams with shorter pulses.
Pointing devices exist that are used to allow a user to interact with a device. For instance, pointing devices can be used for controlling a graphical user interface or a game on a large television (TV) screen. The pointing device, however, can interact with the receiver to perform pointing functions by orienting or changing orientation of the pointing device.
A problem with such pointing devices is that they need acceleration or gravity sensors for detecting the orientation or change of orientation of the device and a wireless connection for transmitting the orientation data to a receiver such as a TV set. These sensors and wireless transmitter add to the bulk, complexity, and cost of the pointing devices. Additionally, the receiver also has to be implemented with a wireless connection for communication with the pointing device.
Nonetheless, accelerometer equipped handheld pointing devices have been introduced where scrolling and pointing on a display of a controlled device is achieved by tilting and moving the pointing device. For example, two types of devices incorporating accelerometers are as follows. One device is a handheld remote controller used for pointing on a stationary device, such as a TV set. The other device is a handheld stand-alone device (like the motion-controlled mobile phone) which can be controlled by tilting the device.
A problem here is that the handheld pointing device cannot be used while walking or used while riding in a moving vehicle. One could mount another accelerometer on the user and have the accelerometer calculate the movement of the pointing device relative to the user, which would alleviate the mentioned problem. This is technically rather complicated to implement, however, and is costly.
Thus, there are problems with current pointing devices and associated receivers.